Friday Fulham Stuff (03/11/17)...

[WhiteJC]

 
Leeds United: FA report into McCormack transfer exposes unedifying web of lies - Hay

The irony of the trouble which Leeds United and Massimo Cellino invited by selling Ross McCormack to Fulham is that it started out, in July 2014, as a deal Cellino was opposed to.

According to documents released by the Football Association on Monday, Cellino "had not been interested in transferring the player" until it was suggested that £10m would be paid for McCormack's signature.

The club did slightly better than that, agreeing a fee of £10.75m with Fulham, but McCormack's sale in the third month of Cellino's reign as owner began the messy disciplinary process which finally finished this week with another ruling against him. His involvement in English football ends with a 12-month ban, a £100,000 fine and a case which captures in one snapshot the fraught manner of so much of his management of Leeds.

The charges against him concerned a deal to pay £250,000 to Barry Hughes, a Glasgow businessman who managed world featherweight champion Scott Harrison and was convicted of fraud shortly before the McCormack transfer. Hughes worked as an unregistered advisor for McCormack but, without an FA licence, was forbidden from acting as an agent or earning directly from the striker's sale. McCormack's move to Fulham was arranged by Mark Donaghy of Arena Sports Management, a licensed agent whose fees ran to a legitimate £875,000.

The FA's ruling against Cellino states that it was Hughes who first indicated that he could secure £10m for McCormack and in the weeks after the completion of the move to Craven Cottage, he invoiced Leeds for agency fees worth £250,000. Leeds, for whom ex-FA compliance officer Graham Bean was working as a consultant, initially resisted the claim from Hughes despite the threat of legal action but relented after Cellino and Hughes held a meeting at Elland Road in September 2014.

A solution – described by the FA regulatory commission as a "sham to present a dishonest picture to the FA" – was found whereby Leeds arranged a 'scouting contract' with Derek Day, a licensed Scottish agent who had not figured in McCormack's transfer to Fulham. United agreed to pay £185,000 to Day in three staggered payments, money which the FA believed was in turn to be passed to Hughes. Leeds met Hughes' demand for a total of £250,000 by agreeing to cancel a loan of around £65,000 owed by McCormack to Leeds. The FA's findings do not explain why McCormack had required a loan from the club but they state at the outset that the Scotland international was guilty of no wrongdoing under FA rules.

The commission concluded that the payments were made as agreed and that Hughes received some £116,000 of the cash paid to Day. Day, it said, retained the rest. The Scot subsequently admitted breaching FA agents rules and was banned from acting as a representative for 18 months, 11 of those suspended until December 2018. Hughes, as an unlicensed advisor, fell outwith the FA's jurisdiction and was not open to charges.

Bean, meanwhile, avoided disciplinary action despite Leeds and Cellino arguing strongly that he was partially responsible for facilitating Day's 'scouting contract'.

The commission described him as a "whistleblower" and accepted that Ian Ryder, the FA's Integrity and Anti-Corruption manager, had not offered him specific immunity but rather chosen not to mount proceedings against him. The FA's commission passed no judgement on that decision but said Bean had been complicit and played an "unedifying part" in the payments to Day and noted that Bean was "distinctly hostile" to Cellino after he was sacked by the Italian over an unrelated matter in September 2014, days after the deal with Day was finalised. The case against Cellino was delayed by a month after Bean threatened to withdraw his submissions following the FA's refusal to pay him costs of £1,800. That threat was dismissed as a "petulant reaction" by the commission. It did, however, accept much of Bean's evidence.

The panel decided that Cellino had not been aware that Hughes was unlicensed but said he understood that the scouting arrangement "was to hide from the FA that LUFC was paying the £250,000 claimed by (Hughes) for his work on the McCormack transfer." At one point Cellino insisted the sum paid to Day was related to a separate and overdue fee of £117,500 owed from Leeds' signing of defender Marius Zaliukas – also represented by Mark Donaghy – in 2013.

The FA called this a "deliberate untruth" and discovered that the sum was later paid separately after solicitors acting for Donaghy threatened to hit Leeds with a winding-up petition.

Cellino also attempted to blame Bean, saying Bean had been employed because of his knowledge of the FA's rules and regulations, at a time when Cellino was new to England. "MC's attempt to shuffle responsibility from himself on to GB does him no credit in a matter where his credit is plunging already," the commission's verdict said.

In summary, the panel decided that "none of those involved had any intention or expectation that (Day) would actually carry out scouting activities" to the value of the payments proposed by Leeds. After a two-day hearing at Wembley in September 2016 it described Cellino as a "dishonest witness" and said much of his evidence in a previous interview with Ryder was "deliberately misleading."

"He lied on material points at that interview and in his evidence at the hearing before the regulatory commission," the findings said. Leeds faced separate charges of breaching agents rules, charges the club initially denied but later pleaded guilty to.

A fine of £250,000 was reduced to £200,000 on appeal. Cellino was the only one of the three parties to plead his innocence, challenging the FA's guilty verdict through the standard appeals process and then seeking arbitration through FA rule K. The arbitration hearing, in which Cellino questioned the validity of proceedings and alleged bias among the original appeal board, took place in July of this year, more than a month after he sold all remaining shares in Leeds to Andrea Radrizzani. Publication of the Rule K verdict this week came three-and-a-half years after McCormack was sold.

In a minor victory, Cellino saw his initial ban of 18 months reduced to 12 months and a £250,000 fine cut to £100,000 but his suspension will have no meaningful impact. His involvement at Elland Road ended with Radrizzani's takeover and he now owns Italian club Brescia. The FA's ban applies only to English football, despite the governing body having scope to ask FIFA to impose it worldwide.

It is not known if Cellino ever adhered to an order to attend an educational course "covering the duties and responsibilities of an owner and director of an English professional football club"; an amusing scenario which has struck everyone as too little, too late.



Read more at: http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-united-fa-report-into-mccormack-transfer-exposes-unedifying-web-of-lies-hay-1-8835301

[WhiteJC]

 
ICM announced as Official FX Trading Partner of Fulham FC

Fulham Football Club is pleased to announce that ICM has today been confirmed as the Club's Official FX Trading Partner in a deal running until the end of the 2018/19 season.

ICM is a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulated FX, Commodity and CFD trading firm who as part of their new partnership with Fulham FC will benefit from extensive brand presence at Craven Cottage, the home of Fulham Football Club since 1896. In addition to branding at the Stadium and various digital rights, ICM will also enjoy the Club's renowned matchday hospitality at each home game.

Fulham FC's positioning as London's oldest professional football Club with a rich history and unique charm is well known and the creation of this partnership will allow ICM a viable gateway to connect with an extensive football audience both domestically and overseas.

Commenting on this partnership, Shoaib Abedi, Director at ICM, said: "We are delighted to announce our partnership with Fulham FC. This is another milestone achieved for us at ICM, especially in the sports industry. We are proud to have our name associated with the Fulham FC brand and are excited to work with them. We are constantly growing geographically, and football is the most loved sport which will help us assist that goal."

Fulham FC Chief Revenue Officer, Casper Stylsvig, added: "We welcome ICM to our growing list of club partners this season. ICM shares our ethos of excellent customer service and will enjoy significant exposure of their brand across Fulham FC's digital and in-stadium platforms. We are delighted to have them on-board."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/november/02/icm-announced-as-official-fx-trading-partner-of-fulham-fc

[WhiteJC]

 
The Tony Gale Column

Nobody thought we'd only take one point from these two matches at home, so naturally everyone is a little down about it. We're on a bit of a poor run, but the thing is with the Play-Offs, we're still not actually far off it. Although we've slid down the table a bit, we're only four points off the top-six, which shows how congested the Championship is this season. I can't see anyone running away with it, either at the top with the two automatic places, or the four Play-Off spots.

We're not out of it by any stretch of the imagination, just look at how much football there still is to be played. The fact that we're in a similar position to the one we were in at this time last year is something we can take solace in. The only thing I'd say is that I think teams know what to expect from us this season and so prepare in a different way, and that's making things a little bit difficult for us. But we have the quality in our squad to continue playing our style, and I'm sure the wins will come.

It's been so pleasing to see Tom Cairney get a couple of 90 minutes under his belt. He's not quite back to his best yet, but that's understandable. After being out for that long you'd need at least four games or so before you start getting back to your top level. The quicker we can get him back to full fitness the better, because he's such an important part of the way we want to play.

We're away to the league leaders on Friday night. Some might see that as intimidating, but I think we play better against the attacking teams. I saw Wolves up at Sheffield United back in September. They lost the game but they had someone sent off early on and you could see that they're a good team, with real strength in depth. Out of all the sides in the Championship, they've probably spent the most money this season, so I think they will be right up there come May. They're certainties for the Play-Off positions, but maybe could go up automatically. That's to be expected though with the money they shelled out in the summer. They're a very strong, very big team, and even when they were down to 10 men when I saw them, they still played well.

We saw England Under-17s lift the World Cup at the weekend, and it was super to see Steven Sessegnon play such a key role in that achievement. Everyone at Fulham can be very proud of him – to get two assists in the Final, from right-back, is nothing short of excellent, and his progress is a credit to the Academy. In recent years we've seen so many of our youngsters go on to play for the First Team, but back in the day I was a rare example of that happening! My fellow columnist Sean Davis was another one, and hopefully now Steven will go on to play as many games for the Club as we did.

The difficult thing now for those boys who won the World Cup, is how they're going to be accommodated by their clubs, how many of them are going to find their way into the first team? I was lucky that when I was playing youth football for England, I was already a regular in the Fulham team. Admittedly it was in the old Second Division, but I was at least getting games. I made my debut at 16 and I was a regular at 17, but you don't really find that nowadays. Steven is one of the few, if not the only, member of that England squad who has played senior football, and I think that shows that Fulham is a good place for him to be.



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/november/02/the-tony-gale-column

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham U21 boss Peter Grant praises mentality of young star during 3-2 defeat to Charlton

The youngster was unwell at half time but wanted to continue playing in the second half - going on to assist the second Fulham goal

Peter Grant praised Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson's mentality to want to continue playing in their 3-2 defeat to Charlton despite not being well at half time.

The 18-year-old scored and assisted in the U21s 3-2 defeat to Charlton at the Valley in the Checkatrade Trophy and got the sparse crowd excited throughout the game, setting up a number of dangerous attacks from the left wing.

In a world where modern day young footballers are seen to be bubble wrapped by some members of the public, Grant believes Thorsteinsson's mentality to want to continue playing is a credit to the youngster who possess "top quality".

He said: "He's been excellent - he's a terrific young player and he was struggling, at half time he was being sick in the room and I said to him does he want to come off but for a young man to stay on, in the modern day they all get criticism for wanting to come off and being soft touches but to be fair to that kid he wanted to stay on and finish the game.

"Even late in the game before he scored the two goals I was ready to take him off actually, but then I thought with the equaliser that he's good at penalties so that's why I kept him on and then all of a sudden they get the winner.

"His performances have been excellent and he's definitely got top quality, he sees pictures others don't see and he's not the quickest player but he has a fantastic quick brain."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-u21-boss-peter-grant-13847687

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham Ticket Allocation Increased

Derby County's allocation of tickets has been increased for the upcoming Sky Bet Championship fixture away to Fulham.

The Rams will make the trip to Craven Cottage on Saturday 18th November (kick-off: 5:30pm).

A further 1,139 tickets have been made available to Rams fans, on top of the initial allocation of 1,628.

Tickets are currently on sale to Away Members and Season Ticket Holders, ahead of being available on General Sale on Sunday 5th November at 10am.

Tickets have been confirmed at the following prices:

Adults - Standard: £30 | Disabled Supporters: £15

Seniors (65+) - Standard: £25 | Disabled Supporters: £12.50

18-21 - Standard: £25 | Disabled Supporters: £12.50

Under-18s - Standard: £15 | Disabled Supporters: £7.50

Supporters can buy their tickets from the Ticket Office at Pride Park Stadium by calling 0871 472 1884 (option 1)* or online right here on dcfc.co.uk.

To become an Away Membership Holder for the 2017/18 campaign and ensure you're in line to purchase away tickets first, visit: dcfc.co.uk/toptix/memberships.

* Calls cost 13p per minute, plus your phone company's access charge.




https://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/2017/11/fulham-ticket-allocation-increased-2

[WhiteJC]

 
What is responsible for Fulham's slow start to the Championship season?

Fulham were billed as one of the favourites for promotion to the Premier League this season after an impressive 2016/17 campaign. The Cottagers were labelled as one of the best teams to watch in the Championship during the second half of last season. Their form in 2017 was excellent as they won 15 of their 26 matches across all competitions heading into the play-offs. This included an eye-catching 3-1 victory against Newcastle United at St James' Parks.

Although they finished in sixth position, they were the bookmakers' favourites to win the play-offs, but they were defeated in the semi-final by Reading. It was a bitter pill to swallow at the time as they had a lot of momentum and looked ready to enter the top-flight again. However, the lottery of the play-offs means that they fell short.

It was a difficult failure to bounce back from, but Fulham supporters saw the improvement that the club had made under Slavisa Jokanovic and entered the new season with the hope of another promotion challenge. After 15 matches, they find themselves in the bottom half and are already six points behind the top six. A total of four wins is a huge disappointment and there are questions being asked about the where it has gone wrong for the West London club.

Where has it gone wrong?

In one sense, Fulham have been a victim of their own success, as they lost three key players during the summer. Scott Malone was excellent at left-back and offered a good attacking support, contributing six goals and three assists. His performances earned him a move to the Premier League with Huddersfield Town. Sone Aluko was another that departed during the summer after a long saga. The winger was one of the side's best attackers, contributing eight goals and ten assists to the team's play-off assault.

Throughout the summer, he was heavily linked with Reading and he eventually made the move to the side that bear Fulham in last season's play-offs for a fee of £7.5 million. It was difficult for the Cottagers to turn down considering they signed the player on a free transfer 12 months earlier. The third and final big departure was Chris Martin, who returned to Derby County after a loan spell. He was at the centre of controversy during his time at Craven Cottage, but he was a crucial part of the team's success and they failed to replace him sufficiently.

The biggest problem for Fulham has been the failure to find a striker to lead the line. Aboubakar Kamara and Rui Fonte were signed to strengthen their forward options, but the pair have contributed three goals and one assist between them in 22 matches. This isn't good enough and their failure to hold up the ball like Martin did last season has reduced the side's attacking threat.

Jokanovic needs to be more adaptable with his tactics, as his team have become static and predictable to play against this season. The loss of key players has left the current style ineffective, as teams are pressing Fulham high up the pitch and limiting the space on the flanks, which stops the full-backs from being as influential.

Last season, Ryan Fredericks and Ryan Sessegnon averaged a goal involvement every 306.4 minutes. This season, it stands at 517.8 minutes. Fulham are being forced to operate further away from the opposition goal, as they lacked a physical presence up front capable of holding the ball up and bringing others into the game. By the time they reach the final third, the opposition have enough men back to defend the space effectively.

Against Bolton Wanderers, they created little in terms of clear-cut chances and were lucky to come away with a point. This is a team that will be fighting relegation and are currently bottom of the division, but they came to Craven Cottage with a game-plan and earned a point from the game. They packed the midfield area and forced Fulham to rely on crosses from deep and hopeful long balls. It was quite a change from the free-flowing football that was consistently played last season.

Supporters will allude to the loss of Tom Cairney through injury for a long period this season and that has been a factor. However, a team challenging for promotion shouldn't be reliant on one player. Their current position of 16th means that the Scottish international is facing a lot of pressure to immediately come back into the team and make an impact. He scored the equaliser against Bolton, but they need others to step up and support him.

Can they recover their season?

The Championship is a tight league and the beauty of the division is that a few wins can lift you into play-off contention. Despite the failures of the summer's recruitment, Fulham have a good squad and a manager that is revered as one of the division's best. It has been a difficult start, but they have lost only four of the 15 matches. If they had turned three of their seven draws into wins, they would be tied on points with Derby County in 6th position.

The next three matches are huge for Fulham and there is no margin for error. They face three of the current top six in Wolves, Derby County and Sheffield United. It is a difficult run of fixtures, but they must approach it with the intention of taking points if they are to move back into promotion contention. The improving fitness level of Tom Cairney will help, but the rest of the team must do more. There will be money to spend in January, but Fulham could find themselves out of contention by that stage if things don't improve.




http://tbrfootball.com/responsible-fulhams-slow-start-championship-season/

[WhiteJC]

Charlton Athletic 3-2 Fulham U21s
by FPTaylor on November 2, 2017

A fairly entertaining affair at the Valley saw Carl Robinson's Charlton host Peter Grant's Fulham academy side. Robinson made eleven changes to the Charlton team that played at the weekend, bringing in the experienced Johnnie Jackson and Mark Marshall whilst Ben Reeves also came into the midfield. The fixture under the floodlights on a pretty chilly evening drew a crowd of less than 750, sarcastically reported as Charlton's lowest for a competitive fixture but treated like the FA Cup final by the rowdy home supporters in attendance. Officially the under 23s, Fulham held their own in a game where their eldest players were a ripe 20 years old, Charlton supporters will claim it was their kids playing but 10 of their starting eleven were older than the Fulham starting team.

The experienced heads of Johnnie Jackson and Ben Reeves grew into the game after a strong Fulham start, which saw Charlton control possession of the football for large periods of the game but the Whites defended resolutely holding them to few clearcut chances: which will disappoint Peter Grant's squad even more following the collapse of a 2-1 lead heading into final minutes turn into a switch around 3-2 loss. Some bright sparks in the cold of a South East London night, the game provided the perfect learning experience for Fulham's youngsters: playing and preparing in a professional football stadium with competing with more experienced footballers.

Player ratings:

Magnus Norman: Strong in his own penalty box, Norman will be disappointed to concede three. One or two really decent saves were topped by his safe hands with the majority of crosses coming into the penalty box. Think he could really have done better with one or two of the Charlton goals but tough to say on first viewing and no replays at the Valley. 6

Djed Spence: 17 year old Djed Spence was making only his 2nd start for Fulham at this age group and defended pretty well all things considered. He grew in confidence and tried to make more of an impact in an attacking sense with a few quick bursts down the right flank. Kept Karlan Ahearne-Grant fairly quiet. 6.5

Aron Davies: One of Fulham's better performers, 20 year old captain Aron Davies helped create Fulham's early opener with a gorgeous ball from the ball that found Elijah Adebayo's chest perfectly – must have been a 50 yard pass. Overall, Davies defended resolutely bar one moment in the second half, and his distribution was key to the majority of Fulham's attacks: again, one moment where he shanked a ball into the stands but otherwise a strong display. The boy is due professional football, that's no doubt his next learning experience. 7

Moritz Jens: I've admired the German centre back ever since he arrived at Fulham, and despite still being 18 years old, he looked at home last night. Solid in the air, Jens and Davies complimented each other with the younger Moritz putting in more of an understated performance. 6.5

Rob Atkinson: I felt for the recently signed Rob Atkinson last night. Typically a centre half, who could potentially make a move to left back but was taught a lesson by the experienced Mark Marshall on the Charlton right flank. Nice passer of the ball and attempted to get forward, but simply losing the one-on-one battle with Marshall is the reason for the low grade. 5.5

Mikki Kwietniewski: The Polish attacking midfielder was taken off at half time and didn't affect proceedings at all. You could really have forgotten he was playing; and I do like him as a player, it's simply testament to Charlton's impressive left back, Jamie Mascoll 5

Matt O'Riley: Showed the poise which has lead to his Fulham first team debut and swept up nicely in midfield but the team didn't have enough possession for O'Riley to make a real impact on proceedings. The youngest player on the pitch but didn't look it, may not have had his foot on the ball as frequently as usual but held his own against what would've been a solid League One central midfield pairing. 6

Jayden Harris: 18 year old Jayden Harris possesses impressive athleticism, the type of player we rarely bring through at Fulham. He put himself about well but simply didn't affect the game. If I had to proper match report, Harris wouldn't have featured bar a funnily memorable moment where he held off 35 year Johnnie Jackson with absolute ease. Needs some seasoning but a good learning experience for him. We weren't completely overwhelmed in midfield despite a 16 year old and an 18 year old going against a 25 and 35 year old. 5.5

Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson: You could argue the little Icelandic was the best player on the pitch. A gorgeous finish for the opener, Thorsteinsson drew frustration out of the home crowd and management staff – the spark for most things in attack for Fulham, Thor's skill all over the pitch brought Fulham time with free kicks and was a fairly constant threat. Also thread a beautiful slide rule pass for Cameron Thompson's goal to put Fulham in the lead. I hate saying players are the 'next X, Y and Z' but Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson glided on the left flank in an Eden Hazard like fashion. Charlton manager Carl Robinson took the time to speak to Thor after the game and mention him specifically in his post match comments, "he's certainly got plenty of talent." My man of the match. 7.5

Mattias Kait: Started the game in the hole, before being moved to the right in the second following Kwietniewski's substitution. Worked hard off the ball but didn't have many touches on it, could have been forgiven for forgetting he was playing. Victim of Fulham's inability to control possession as he is a good footballer. 5.5

Elijah Adebayo: Hovered between a 6.5 rating and the 7 I did eventually give him, Adebayo was a handful for the Charlton centre backs all game right up until his substitution. Had a connection with centre half Aron Davies and won a large majority of his duels with Jo Cummings throughout the game. Showed some nice target man play for the opening goal and edged the 7 with his all round impact in what was a tough game to be a striker. Has all the tools to make a good career for himself if he works hard but will likely have to start in non-league. 7

Fulham substitutes:

Cameron Thompson: Thompson's introduction gave Charlton another thing to think about with Fulham's counter attacks. Knowing Cameron since his time with the U16s, he's a lethal finisher and displayed it with a lovely left footed strike past Dillon Phillips in the Charlton goal (a 22 year old who has won the National League). A smaller striker but with a Defoe/Aguero like finishing ability, Thompson's sole opportunity to score came to him on his weaker foot and at 17 years old he despatched with aplomb. Threatened with his pace in behind, Thompson now has two goals in his first four matches at this level to add to his 9 in 6 matches at under 18 level. Whisper it quietly, but here's the next star striker for Fulham at academy level – and I would've told you that two/three years back. I look forward to seeing him develop throughout the season, and can see him starting games at this level by the end of the season. 6.5

Michael Elstone: Peter Grant changed his mind on substitutions a couple of times in the game, seemingly calling Tyreese Francois back from his warm up to get him ready but he didn't come on. He also had Isaac Pearce on the sideline ready but sent him back to the dugout after the Charlton equaliser. Elstone doesn't get a rating simply because he only had about 10 minutes to work with; Charlton were piling on the pressure at this point n/a

Overall it was an average performance from Peter Grant's men with a few stand outs. A good learning experience and resolute team display for the majority of the game. I think Charlton would've spent more money on stewards and staff despite the £10 adult tickets and regularly priced food (including £6.00 for a curry in the Millennium Lounge and £2.30 for a cup of tea). No wonder nobody turned up.




http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/11/charlton-3-2-fulham-u21s/

[WhiteJC]

 
QPR and Fulham eye Ghoddos move

HITC Sport understands Fulham and QPR are battling for the Iranian international.

Championship duo Queens Park Rangers and Fulham are stepping up their interest in Ostersunds striker Saman Ghoddos, HITC Sport understands from sources close to the club.

The two English clubs are expected to watch Ghoddos in action in Thursday's Europa League clash with Athletic Bilbao as they weigh up moves for the free-scoring forward.

Ghoddos has scored four goals in eight Europa League games so far this season, helping Ostersunds progress through from the qualifying rounds to the group stages.

Ghoddos has also caught the eye in the Swedish Allsvenskan this season this season with 15 goals and nine assists in 29 games in all competitions for Ostersunds.

Clubs from all Europe have been alerted to Ghoddos' prolific form and Ostersunds managed to reject several offers for the player during the summer transfer window.

QPR have held a long-term interest in Ghoddos and they saw a bid rejected for the 24-year-old turned down in the summer.

Ian Holloway's men have continued to keep tabs on Ghoddos and they are ready to rekindle their interest in the Iran star when the transfer window opens in January.

Fulham are ready to rival QPR for Ghoddos with Slavisa Jokanovic determined to bolster their attacking options at Craven Cottage after a disappointing start to the season.



http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/11/02/qpr-and-fulham-eye-ghoddos-move/

[WhiteJC]

 
Pascal Zuberbuhler joins FIFA Technical Development Division

On 1 November 2017, former Swiss international goalkeeper Pascal Zuberbuhler took up a part-time role as a goalkeeper specialist at FIFA, where he will oversee the education of goalkeepers around the globe. The 46-year-old's main duties at world football's governing body will include the further development of goalkeeper training and the educational structures in place all around the world, particularly in areas where only basic work has been done so far. He will also assume the role of an observer and support the development of football and goalkeeping in particular.

"We are delighted that Pascal has accepted our offer," said FIFA Deputy Secretary General (Football) Zvonimir Boban. "Zubi can call upon a great deal of experience from his football career, and he is undoubtedly one of the legends of Swiss football. Thanks to his passion for the game, he has a remarkable ability to pass his know-how on to others, whether they are instructors or young goalkeepers. FIFA wants to strengthen goalkeeping all around the world and step up education in this area. We have no doubt whatsoever that Zubi will do some excellent work for us, and we welcome him to our team."

During his career, Zuberbuhler played for Grasshopper Club Zurich, Bayer Leverkusen, FC Aarau, FC Basel, West Bromwich Albion, Neuchâtel Xamax and Fulham. He also won 51 caps for Switzerland and played 35 games in the UEFA Champions League. He also set a special record at Germany 2006 by becoming the first and to date only goalkeeper to have been knocked out of a FIFA World Cup™ without conceding a single goal. As a goalkeeper coach, he has worked for various clubs, including Fulham, BSC Young Boys Berne, Servette FC and Derby County. He has also been employed as a Swiss football pundit by Swiss pay-TV channel Teleclub since 2013.

"I am incredibly proud to be able to join what is already a strong and highly qualified team at FIFA," said Zuberbuhler. "It is a dream come true. I would like to thank FIFA's management for the trust they have placed in me. FIFA takes its responsibilities to education and development very seriously. I am absolutely convinced by the new administration's project, which is why it didn't take me long to accept the offer. This new management is definitly more focused on football and this makes me feel very comfortable. I am looking forward to the work that lies ahead of me, and even more to playing a part in the development of football around the world."




http://www.fifa.com/development/news/y=2017/m=11/news=pascal-zuberbuhler-joins-fifa-technical-development-division-2918577.html

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic insists Fulham will continue to play from the back despite poor run of form

The side haven't kept a cleansheet since August but the manager has pointed to basic mistakes that he feels are costing his side

Slavisa Jokanovic insists Fulham will continue to play out from the back as they always have done, despite their poor run of form.

The Cottagers head to Molineux on Friday night having not won a single game in October, drawing two home games with Preston and Bolton, losing to Bristol City while losing an away tie at Aston Villa and face a Wolves side who are enjoying a fine season and are perched at the top of the table.

Jokanovic's side haven't kept a clean sheet since August and the 2-0 win over Ipswich, but the manager doesn't think playing out from the back is the root of his side's defensive issues and instead has pointed to basic mistakes that are letting Fulham down.

He said: "This is problem we didn't find enough solution for, we conceded so many easy goals.

"We build from the back and arrive in the box doesn't give us enough benefit, some people have an opinion about taking the risk and playing from the back, I don't remember the last goal conceded from taking these risks and lost the ball in our build up.

"At the end, I like where we start to build up and where opposite teams start to press us, this is the reason we start from the back.

"My message is to try take this press and attack three defenders with 50 yards behind them, this is the point.

"All the people try choose some solution, we can try modify and find a better solution to something that is not working good or if you have the sensation it's better to try another way without depth, it doesn't exist any shape or tacti.

"If you make some mistake like we make, you have not got enough solidarity or be solid and clinical in important moments in the game.

"I say before, we must go back to basic things and start to find better distance, better body shape, try be more competitive and make basic thing like be more solid and put yourself behind ball and don't make small mistakes.

"Many small mistakes bring you into a situation where it's complicated to be competitive."




http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/slavisa-jokanovic-insists-fulham-continue-13850509

[WhiteJC]

 
Jokanović: Extra Focused

Fulham travel to League leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday evening and Head Coach Slaviša Jokanović knows that the Whites will have to raise their level in order to combat the side that currently sits top of the Championship table.

"This is a very tough and important game for us," stated Jokanović. "The last few games we have not been at our best level. This is a great chance for us to show a different face.

"We didn't show enough of a good performance and we must be brave, confident and we must push to work hard.

"We must work in a positive way to get to our highest level, this is our job.

"We are 13 points behind Wolves, six points behind the play-off spots and have two points less than we had after 15 games last season, but there is a long period ahead of us.

"We know we are not at our best level, but we cannot be depressed. It's a frustrating situation for myself, my players and our supporters but we cannot give up and there is a long way in front of us.

"We deserve the criticism around us and this is natural."

Jokanović knows the attacking threat that Wolverhampton Wanderers possess, having scored 27 goals in 15 matches in the Championship so far this season.

"Wolves have played very well. They are the top scoring team in the division with very offensive players that can find goals alone, they don't need so many elements.

"They are very dangerous on the counter-attack and they brought important players into the squad and show they want to be a Premier League team.

"At the moment they are going in a good way but we will see what happens with 31 games in front of us."

On Tuesday evening, Wolves beat Norwich City 2-0 at Carrow Road with goals from Willy Boly and Leo Bonatini securing all three points.

"After an important win against Norwich they will be motivated with confidence to push to win the match. We must be extra focused and concentrate. Where we have the chance to damage them we must be able, brave and clever.

"I believe we can play better football than we have played," he said. "The Bristol match was not our realistic level, we were not clinical enough."

Aboubakar Kamara received a red card against Bristol City and the Head Coach is hopeful that the decision to appeal will go Fulham's way.

"We are going to know this afternoon, we believe he pushed on the chest of the Bristol player.

"We have the chance to win the appeal, and in theory I could use him for tomorrow's game.

"The situation was clear for us. The other side of it is that Kamara gave the chance for the referee to take this decision.

"We cannot do this kind of thing in important moments. Now what we want to do is fix this situation and see if he can feature for us against Wolves."



http://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2017/november/02/slavisa-jokanovic-extra-focused

[WhiteJC]

 
Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic refuses to comment on Craig Kline's depature from the club

Jokanovic refused to comment on Kline's departure, saying he must be fully focused on his job and work

Slavisa Jokanovic has refused to comment on Craig Kline's departure from Fulham , saying he is fully concentrated on his work.

The data analyst, who was promoted to assistant director of football operations earlier this year, left the club at the start of the week, calling police to Motspur Park after his dismissal and has now been replaced by James Lovell ahead of the January transfer window.

Jokanovic and Kline are reported to have clashed on a number of occasions over transfers at the club, but Fulham's manager refused to comment on the American's departure and insisted he's fully focused on his work.

He said: "I am fully concentrated on my work and in front of myself and my players is a very important game and I don't have any comment from things that happen internally in my club.

"In general, in this moment I must be concentrated on my work and I have no intention of making a comment on this man, in general what I know is he is not here and he has left the club and that is it - I don't have any other information on this case.

"All the clubs use the data and we are going to try use this and all the tools that all the clubs in the world use, not only us, it's useful for us like it's useful for all the teams."



http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fulham-boss-slavisa-jokanovic-refuses-13850737

[WhiteJC]

 
Slavisa Jokanovic insists Fulham will not change style against Wolves

Slavisa Jokanovic insists Fulham will not be changing their approach ahead of their visit to table-topping Wolves on Friday, live on Sky Sports Football.

Fulham failed to win in four outings during October and face a Wolves side who moved back to the top of the standings with a 2-0 win at Norwich in midweek.

The answer to the mini-slump, according to Jokanovic, lies in the eradication of basic errors that has seen his side slip to 16th in the table.

He said: "This is the problem we didn't find enough solution for, we conceded too many easy goals.

"If you make mistakes like we make, you are not solid enough or clinical enough in important moments in the game.

"We must go back to basics and try to be more competitive and do the basic things like being more solid, putting yourself behind the ball and not making small mistakes.

"Many small mistakes bring you into a situation where it's complicated to be competitive."

Some have advocated a more direct approach instead of the more patient build-up currently in favour, but Jokanovic insists he is in no mood to compromise.

He said: "Some people have an opinion about taking risks and playing from the back but I don't remember the last goal conceded from taking these risks.

"At the end, I like where we start to build up and where opposite teams start to press us, this is the reason we start from the back.

"My message is to try take this press and attack three defenders with 50 yards behind them, this is the point."



http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/11110189/slavisa-jokanovic-insists-fulham-will-not-change-style-against-wolves

[WhiteJC]

 
Wolves v Fulham
FRI, 03 Nov 2017 Championship
Venue: Molineux Stadium

Leo Bonatini's ninth goal of the season at Norwich on Tuesday keeps him joint top of the Championship goal scorers table

Wolves will go four points clear at the top of the Championship if they beat Fulham at Molineux.

Midfielder Romain Saiss is available after missing Tuesday's 2-0 win at Norwich because of a one-game ban.

Fulham will be without forward Aboubakar Kamara through suspension after he was sent off in Tuesday's defeat by Bristol City.

Lucas Piazon and Sheyi Ojo remain unavailable as they continue to recover from long-term injuries.

SAM's prediction
Home win 48%   Draw 26%   Away win 26%

SAM, the Sports Analytics Machine, is a super-computer built by @ProfIanMcHale of the University of Liverpool.

Match facts
    Wolves are unbeaten in their past 13 home games against Fulham in all competitions (W9 D4).
    Fulham have conceded at least three goals in each of their past six matches against Wolves in all competitions, conceding 19 goals in total.
    Leo Bonatini has been involved in at least one goal every league game for Wolves at Molinuex, scoring six and assisting three in seven matches.
    Slavisa Jokanovic has never lost back-to-back away league matches in charge of Fulham - he last did so in the Championship while Watford boss in January 2015.
    Wolves have lost their past four league matches on a Friday, while Fulham have won their last four on a Friday, including one this season away at QPR.
    Wolves have not won any of their last 13 league matches in November (D5 L8) since a 2-0 win over Tranmere Rovers in League One in November 2013; excluding their one season in League One in 2013-14, they haven't won a league match in November in the top two tiers since November 2011, winning 3-1 against Wigan in the Premier League.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/41772120

[WhiteJC]

 
Wolves Vs Fulham Preview

Dreams do come true.

Wolves Blog
You are here: Home / Blog / Wolves Vs Fulham Preview
Wolves Vs Fulham Preview
November 2, 2017 By Thomas 37 Comments

Dreams do come true.
Embed from Getty Images

Last December I was watching open mouthed and even more gormless than usual as Fulham caressed the ball around the Molineux pitch making us look positively prehistoric in the process.

'I wish we could play like them', one poor, frostbitten soul uttered as Dave Edwards mis-controlled the ball out for a throw in.

Well, fast forward a year and the Nuno revolution is in full swing and Fulham fans would probably chew off their own arms to swap places.

Given how they play and our rapid ascent to the realms of liquid football, this could be a really nice game.

Fulham
I thought they'd win the play-offs last season after breaking into the top six down the final stretch.

They were by far and away the best footballing side in the division, but I suppose you could see their defensive frailties might hold them back.

For whatever reason, they haven't really started firing this season and are well back in 16th after losing at home to Bristol City the other night.

In fact they haven't won any of the last four, which has derailed their short lived charge up the table. They should rightly fear this fixture too.

No doubting they have quality though. Tom Cairney and our old mucka Kevin McDonald are a technically adept midfield partnership and could dictate if we allow them the space.

Floyd Ayite was a thorn in our side in this fixture last season, so he's another to keep an eye on tomorrow.

Wolves
It was great to comeback so emphatically after losing against QPR. Wolves did the same things, but just a bit better and with a bit more appetite.

I'm very comfortable with starting the same team that won at Carrow Road. Assuming no injuries or fatigue, everyone justified their selection.

Saiss can probably count himself a bit unlucky, but if you lose your place in this side, be it to injury or suspension, you leave yourself open to a stint on the sidelines.

He might come straight back in but I thought N'Diaye gave us that punch we're sometimes lacking and allowed Neves a bit more room to breathe.

Predictions
Logically this should be an open game with both teams trying to get on the ball and pass and Wolves winning because they have more quality.

That is therefore my prediction.

It would be lovely to go into Saturday knowing we can't be overtaken and with the prospect of putting a bit of daylight between ourselves and the immediate chasers.

Make it so lads. 3-1.

Up The Wolves!



http://www.wolvesblog.com/11137/wolves-vs-fulham-preview-7

[WhiteJC]

Wolves have midfielder available whilst Fulham have three out for Friday tie

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be looking to continue to their impressive Championship campaign with a win against Fulham when they meet at Molineux on Friday night.

Nuno Espirito Santo's side currently sits at the top of the table after 15 games with 32 points and will be looking to take their lead to four points over Cardiff City.

However, the Wolves manager is well aware of the threat the Cottagers will provide them with, as Slavisa Jokanovic's team will be looking to improve on their campaign, sitting 16th with just 19 points so far.

Wolves will have midfielder Romain Saiss available for the home fixture as he had to miss out on Tuesday's 2-0 victory over Norwich City, where they stayed the night for the player's to be sufficiently rested before Friday's test, after he had to serve his one-match suspension, according to BBC Sport.

The Molineux outfit will also have striker Leo Bonatini in the side as he looks to continue his fine form in front of goal, bagging his ninth goal of the season against the Canaries, making him the joint-top goalscorer so far.

Wolves go into the fixture with the slightly better outcome in terms of selection, with a Fulham side that has been depleted by injuries and suspension.

Cottagers man Aboubakar Kamara is unavailable after he received a red card in their 2-0 defeat to high-flying Bristol City on Tuesday evening.

Fulham will also be without Lucas Piazon and Sheyi Ojo, who are on loan from West London neighbours Chelsea and Liverpool respectively, as they both look to recover from long-term injuries.

Jokanovic will be hoping his Craven Cottage side can end a bad run of form, with their last victory in the Championship coming at the end of September, with two draws and two defeats in October.




https://ninetyminutesonline.com/wolves-midfielder-available-whilst-fulham-three-friday-tie/

[WhiteJC]

 
Wolves v Fulham preview: Pass-masters go head to head at Molineux

A few teams have irked Nuno Espirito Santo this season, but the head coach's respect for Fulham is very apparent.

The Cottagers, like Wolves, play attractive football on the floor – a philosophy Nuno of course approves of.

"Fulham is a good team, they were in the play-offs last season so it's going to be a tough game for us," he said ahead of tonight's clash.

"I know that Fulham is a team that plays really good football and we must be focused and concentrated on that.

"At the same time we must put our ideas on the pitch.

"Each time you are able to control your opponent you are closer to winning."

It's been a busy week for Wolves who travelled to QPR on Saturday and Norwich on Tuesday.

Nuno says the players are bearing up – and praise hot-shot striker Leo Bonatini for his recent six goals in five games scoring streak.

"The players are good, they are well," he said. "Everybody's available so it's good for us as coaches.

"Leo's doing really well. I read somewhere he's scored five in a row, the first Wolves player to do this for 13 years, so credit to him.

"But also credit to the team that is behind and still puts the ball in the right place for him to score.

"Besides that he's doing a really good job.

"It's good to go back to Molineux with a good atmosphere.

"Perform well is what we want to achieve. Do your tasks, be together in the same objective, a team is more than one performance.

"If you're not doing well your team mate will be next to you to help you.

"It's a big challenge for the boys to each game do better, but they belief in that."

Romain Saiss is available again after suspension and Nuno must decided whether to recall him, or defenders Danny Batth and Roderick Miranda who missed out at Carrow Road.

As for Slavisa Jokanovic's struggling Fulham, they're looking to get their season on track. They've only won two of their past eight matches and sit 16th.

Jokanovic said: "We deserve the criticism around us and this is natural.

"Wolves have played very well.

"They are the top scoring team in the division with very offensive players that can find goals alone, they don't need so many elements.

"After an important win against Norwich they will be motivated with confidence to push to win the match. We must be extra focused and concentrate. Where we have the chance to damage them we must be able, brave and clever.

"They are very dangerous on the counter-attack and they brought important players into the squad and show they want to be a Premier League team.

"At the moment they are going in a good way but we will see what happens with 31 games in front of us.

"We are 13 points behind Wolves, six points behind the play-off spots and have two points less than we had after 15 games last season, but there is a long period ahead of us."
Predicted line ups

Wolves (3-4-3): John Ruddy; Batth (c), Coady, Boly; Doherty, Neves, Saiss, Douglas; Cavaleiro, Bonatini, Jota. Subs: Norris, Bennett, Price, N'Diaye, Marshall, Costa, Enobakhare.

Fulham (3-5-2): Button; Odoi, Kalas, Ream; Fredericks, Johansen, McDonald, Cairney, Sessegnon; Ayite, Fonte.
Key players

Wolves – Ruben Neves: In what's likely to be a pass-fest at Molineux can the 20-year-old playmaker come into his own and flourish against the Cottagers? Proved on Tuesday night he can do the dirty work too, showcasing an excellent work ethic and getting stuck into the Canaries.

Fulham – Kevin McDonald: Wolves know all about the strengths of Fulham's playmaker. On his day the Scot can thread a pass through any defence . He's played 62 times for the Cottagers since moving at the start of last season. McDonald and Tom Cairney Stefan Johansen are arguably three of the best midfielders in the Championship.
Memory lane

A Steve Bull hat-trick helped Wolves to a 5-2 victory over the Cottagers in their Division Three title-winning season of 1988/89.

Last five meetings

March 2017 (Ch): Fulham 1 (Odoi 54) Wolves 3 (Cavaleiro 34, Weimann 47, Edwards 72)

December 2016 (Ch): Wolves 4 (Hause 22, Doherty 65, Cavaleiro 74, Edwards 90+1) Fulham 4 (Johansen 32, Ayite 39 and 90+4, Cairney 42)

January 2016 (Ch): Wolves 3 (Zyro 6 and 13, Doherty 48) Fulham 2 (Christensen 24, McCormack 74)

September 2015 (Ch): Fulham 0 Wolves 3 (Le Fondre 56, Ojo 59, Henry 78)

February 2015 (Ch): Wolves 3 (Batth 10, Sako 40 and 45) Fulham 0



Read more at https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/wolverhampton-wanderers-fc/2017/11/03/wolves-v-fulham-preview-pass-masters-go-head-to-head-at-molineux/#Q3DDyRHEXkhdrYVc.99

[longleigh10]

very inciteful report and summary of the match, you should be writing match reports for the website.. agree Cameron is one to watch..



Charlton Athletic 3-2 Fulham U21s
by FPTaylor on November 2, 2017

A fairly entertaining affair at the Valley saw Carl Robinson's Charlton host Peter Grant's Fulham academy side. Robinson made eleven changes to the Charlton team that played at the weekend, bringing in the experienced Johnnie Jackson and Mark Marshall whilst Ben Reeves also came into the midfield. The fixture under the floodlights on a pretty chilly evening drew a crowd of less than 750, sarcastically reported as Charlton's lowest for a competitive fixture but treated like the FA Cup final by the rowdy home supporters in attendance. Officially the under 23s, Fulham held their own in a game where their eldest players were a ripe 20 years old, Charlton supporters will claim it was their kids playing but 10 of their starting eleven were older than the Fulham starting team.

The experienced heads of Johnnie Jackson and Ben Reeves grew into the game after a strong Fulham start, which saw Charlton control possession of the football for large periods of the game but the Whites defended resolutely holding them to few clearcut chances: which will disappoint Peter Grant's squad even more following the collapse of a 2-1 lead heading into final minutes turn into a switch around 3-2 loss. Some bright sparks in the cold of a South East London night, the game provided the perfect learning experience for Fulham's youngsters: playing and preparing in a professional football stadium with competing with more experienced footballers.

Player ratings:

Magnus Norman: Strong in his own penalty box, Norman will be disappointed to concede three. One or two really decent saves were topped by his safe hands with the majority of crosses coming into the penalty box. Think he could really have done better with one or two of the Charlton goals but tough to say on first viewing and no replays at the Valley. 6

Djed Spence: 17 year old Djed Spence was making only his 2nd start for Fulham at this age group and defended pretty well all things considered. He grew in confidence and tried to make more of an impact in an attacking sense with a few quick bursts down the right flank. Kept Karlan Ahearne-Grant fairly quiet. 6.5

Aron Davies: One of Fulham's better performers, 20 year old captain Aron Davies helped create Fulham's early opener with a gorgeous ball from the ball that found Elijah Adebayo's chest perfectly – must have been a 50 yard pass. Overall, Davies defended resolutely bar one moment in the second half, and his distribution was key to the majority of Fulham's attacks: again, one moment where he shanked a ball into the stands but otherwise a strong display. The boy is due professional football, that's no doubt his next learning experience. 7

Moritz Jens: I've admired the German centre back ever since he arrived at Fulham, and despite still being 18 years old, he looked at home last night. Solid in the air, Jens and Davies complimented each other with the younger Moritz putting in more of an understated performance. 6.5

Rob Atkinson: I felt for the recently signed Rob Atkinson last night. Typically a centre half, who could potentially make a move to left back but was taught a lesson by the experienced Mark Marshall on the Charlton right flank. Nice passer of the ball and attempted to get forward, but simply losing the one-on-one battle with Marshall is the reason for the low grade. 5.5

Mikki Kwietniewski: The Polish attacking midfielder was taken off at half time and didn't affect proceedings at all. You could really have forgotten he was playing; and I do like him as a player, it's simply testament to Charlton's impressive left back, Jamie Mascoll 5

Matt O'Riley: Showed the poise which has lead to his Fulham first team debut and swept up nicely in midfield but the team didn't have enough possession for O'Riley to make a real impact on proceedings. The youngest player on the pitch but didn't look it, may not have had his foot on the ball as frequently as usual but held his own against what would've been a solid League One central midfield pairing. 6

Jayden Harris: 18 year old Jayden Harris possesses impressive athleticism, the type of player we rarely bring through at Fulham. He put himself about well but simply didn't affect the game. If I had to proper match report, Harris wouldn't have featured bar a funnily memorable moment where he held off 35 year Johnnie Jackson with absolute ease. Needs some seasoning but a good learning experience for him. We weren't completely overwhelmed in midfield despite a 16 year old and an 18 year old going against a 25 and 35 year old. 5.5

Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson: You could argue the little Icelandic was the best player on the pitch. A gorgeous finish for the opener, Thorsteinsson drew frustration out of the home crowd and management staff – the spark for most things in attack for Fulham, Thor's skill all over the pitch brought Fulham time with free kicks and was a fairly constant threat. Also thread a beautiful slide rule pass for Cameron Thompson's goal to put Fulham in the lead. I hate saying players are the 'next X, Y and Z' but Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson glided on the left flank in an Eden Hazard like fashion. Charlton manager Carl Robinson took the time to speak to Thor after the game and mention him specifically in his post match comments, "he's certainly got plenty of talent." My man of the match. 7.5

Mattias Kait: Started the game in the hole, before being moved to the right in the second following Kwietniewski's substitution. Worked hard off the ball but didn't have many touches on it, could have been forgiven for forgetting he was playing. Victim of Fulham's inability to control possession as he is a good footballer. 5.5

Elijah Adebayo: Hovered between a 6.5 rating and the 7 I did eventually give him, Adebayo was a handful for the Charlton centre backs all game right up until his substitution. Had a connection with centre half Aron Davies and won a large majority of his duels with Jo Cummings throughout the game. Showed some nice target man play for the opening goal and edged the 7 with his all round impact in what was a tough game to be a striker. Has all the tools to make a good career for himself if he works hard but will likely have to start in non-league. 7

Fulham substitutes:

Cameron Thompson: Thompson's introduction gave Charlton another thing to think about with Fulham's counter attacks. Knowing Cameron since his time with the U16s, he's a lethal finisher and displayed it with a lovely left footed strike past Dillon Phillips in the Charlton goal (a 22 year old who has won the National League). A smaller striker but with a Defoe/Aguero like finishing ability, Thompson's sole opportunity to score came to him on his weaker foot and at 17 years old he despatched with aplomb. Threatened with his pace in behind, Thompson now has two goals in his first four matches at this level to add to his 9 in 6 matches at under 18 level. Whisper it quietly, but here's the next star striker for Fulham at academy level – and I would've told you that two/three years back. I look forward to seeing him develop throughout the season, and can see him starting games at this level by the end of the season. 6.5

Michael Elstone: Peter Grant changed his mind on substitutions a couple of times in the game, seemingly calling Tyreese Francois back from his warm up to get him ready but he didn't come on. He also had Isaac Pearce on the sideline ready but sent him back to the dugout after the Charlton equaliser. Elstone doesn't get a rating simply because he only had about 10 minutes to work with; Charlton were piling on the pressure at this point n/a

Overall it was an average performance from Peter Grant's men with a few stand outs. A good learning experience and resolute team display for the majority of the game. I think Charlton would've spent more money on stewards and staff despite the £10 adult tickets and regularly priced food (including £6.00 for a curry in the Millennium Lounge and £2.30 for a cup of tea). No wonder nobody turned up.




http://hammyend.com/index.php/2017/11/charlton-3-2-fulham-u21s/